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Scam type 3/15

"Hi mom, I have a new number": the WhatsApp friend-in-need scam

A message from your "child" with a new number and an urgent payment request? Learn how friend-in-need fraud works and what to do about it.

Stats and sources
Updated: May 2026

What the numbers show

No guesses. Only published data from Fraudehelpdesk (the Dutch fraud helpline), CBS (Statistics Netherlands), AFM, SIDN and Dutch investigative journalism.

Alert Online 2024 cybersecurity research: 30% of Dutch residents were approached with a WhatsApp-fraud attempt within a year.
Source: Politie
Average loss per victim: roughly €3,500.
Source: Opgelicht?! (Dutch fraud-investigation TV show)
19%
Of victims lost more than €2,500; 6% lost more than €5,000.
Banks rarely reimburse this type of fraud — the victim is considered to have authorised the transfer themselves.
Modus operandi

How does this scam actually work in practice?

Step by step: this is how scammers build the scenario. The faster you spot the pattern, the sooner you can hang up or click away.

  1. 01
    The message arrives from an unknown (often Dutch 06) number and opens with "Hi mom/dad, my phone broke, this is my new number".
  2. 02
    The "money request" only follows after a few hours or a day — trust is built first via easy small-talk.
  3. 03
    The request is always urgent: a bill that "must be paid today", a deposit, or covering a friend's expense.
  4. 04
    The scammer asks for a bank transfer, not a Tikkie (Tikkies are easier to reverse).
  5. 05
    Victims are kept off voice or video calls ("my microphone is broken", "I'm in a meeting").
  6. 06
    For larger amounts a second step sometimes follows: a "bank employee" calls to confirm the transfer (spoofing).
Red flags

How do you spot this scam before it's too late?

One red flag is usually enough. Two and you know for sure something is off. Stop, hang up, click away, call the real organization via a number you look up yourself.

A family member contacts you from an unknown number with a "new number".
The chat has no profile picture, or a random one.
A request for a payment follows quickly.
Voice or video calls are impossible
there's always an excuse.
The bank-account name is unfamiliar, sometimes a German, Spanish or Lithuanian IBAN.
The wording feels slightly too formal or grammatically just off (increasingly polished with AI).
What to do

What to do if you've been targeted

In this order. Time is money — literally. The faster you call, the bigger the chance the bank can still reverse a transaction.

  1. 1
    Call your family member on their known number (or via another family member) before doing anything.
  2. 2
    If you've transferred money: call your bank immediately and request a transfer recall (SEPA Recall).
  3. 3
    File a police report via politie.nl or 0900-8844.
  4. 4
    Report the number to WhatsApp via "Report contact" in the app — block it.
  5. 5
    Report to the Fraudehelpdesk (fraudehelpdesk.nl) and at politie.nl/meld-online-fraude.
  6. 6
    Warn your network: scammers often need your contact list and try others too.
Examples from our database

Concrete examples of this scam type

Click through on an example to see the full dossier: feed hits, host info, domain age, related cases.

number reported
+31 6 12345678
with a random young woman's profile picture
View dossier →
domain reported
wa.me
/+31647992860 (deeplinks to unknown numbers)
View dossier →
example reported
IBAN starting with DE89..., ES91..., LT12... (Wise/Revolut money mules)
View dossier →
example reported
Opener: "Hi mom, my phone broke and this is my new number"
View dossier →
example reported
Opener: "Hi dad, I can't call right now, can you sort this out for me?"
View dossier →
example reported
"Could you save this? My old number is logged out."
View dossier →
Common search queries

What people Google when they run into this scam

Recognize your own situation in one of these phrases? Paste your input into the checker above and you'll get an instant dossier — no account needed.

Related scam types

Often combined with these other scam types

Scammers increasingly combine multiple channels. A WhatsApp message is followed by a fake call; a phishing email by a Tikkie payment request.

Scam type
Bank-helpdesk fraud (spoofing): how to recognize a fake call from "ING", "Rabobank" or "ABN AMRO"
Someone calling "from your bank's fraud department"? Learn how spoofing works, which numbers get abused, and what to do if you've already transferred money.
Read more →
Scam type
Tikkie fraud: why you should never click a "verify with 1 cent" link
Tikkie fraud turns an innocent link into a drained bank account. Here's how payment-request fraud works in 2025 and how to spot the real tikkie.me.
Read more →
Scam type
Dating fraud: when your online love asks for plane-ticket money
Romance scams cost Dutch victims €30,000 on average. Learn the patterns, the scripts and what to do if you suspect your date is fake.
Read more →
Scam type
SIM-swap fraud: how criminals hijack your phone number and drain your bank
In SIM-swapping, scammers take over your Dutch 06 number. Here's how to recognize it, how to prevent it, and what to do when you suddenly have no signal.
Read more →
Common questions

Common questions about this scam

What is "hi mom, i have a new number"?
The message arrives from an unknown (often Dutch 06) number and opens with "Hi mom/dad, my phone broke, this is my new number". The "money request" only follows after a few hours or a day — trust is built first via easy small-talk.
Hi mom I have a new number is this real?
A family member contacts you from an unknown number with a "new number". Call your family member on their known number (or via another family member) before doing anything.
Daughter WhatsApp new number asking for money?
The chat has no profile picture, or a random one. If you've transferred money: call your bank immediately and request a transfer recall (SEPA Recall).
Friend in need scam what to do?
A request for a payment follows quickly. File a police report via politie.nl or 0900-8844.
What should I do if I've been a victim?
Call your family member on their known number (or via another family member) before doing anything. If you've transferred money: call your bank immediately and request a transfer recall (SEPA Recall). File a police report via politie.nl or 0900-8844.
Will I get my money back?
Whether you get your money back depends on the type of scam, how quickly you called your bank and whether you handed over credentials yourself. Dutch banks operate a goodwill scheme but in practice rarely pay out 100%. Always file a police report immediately and report to the Fraudehelpdesk — this strengthens your case.
Need help right now?

Call these numbers now — in this order

In case of immediate danger or an ongoing transaction: hang up, call your bank, then file a police report. The faster, the bigger the chance the money can be recovered.

Emergency
112
Police / emergency services
Police report
0900-8844
Ask for a case-file number
Fraudehelpdesk
088-786 73 72
Report for trend tracking
ING emergency line
020-22 888 00
Block account & card
Rabobank emergency line
088-722 67 67
Block account & card
ABN AMRO emergency line
0900-0024
Block account & card
SNS emergency line
030-633 30 00
Block account & card
Slachtofferhulp (victim support)
0900-0101
Emotional & legal support
Fraudehelpdesk.nlPolitie.nl — report online fraudVeiliginternetten.nlConsumentenbond — safe browsing